Crystal Palace is heading into a challenging period as a congested fixture schedule will see the team play four matches within just eight days. This intense run of games stems from their progression to the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup.

The London club booked their spot in the last eight following a commanding 3-0 victory over Liverpool on Wednesday. Their reward for that triumph is a quarter-final clash away to Arsenal, scheduled for the week commencing December 15, with December 16 being the most likely date for the encounter.

Before that Carabao Cup showdown, Palace will host Manchester City in a Premier League fixture on December 14. Just two days after the likely Arsenal tie, they will return home to face KuPS in the Conference League on December 18. The demanding stretch concludes with an away Premier League match against Leeds United on December 21.

According to reports, the English Football League (EFL) is in talks with various stakeholders and clubs to address the scheduling dilemma. However, given the current fixture congestion, there appears to be no suitable midweek slot available for the Carabao Cup quarter-final, leaving Crystal Palace with a tightly packed calendar of high-stakes matches.